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Founder of the Slovak branch of the Russian motorcycling gang Night Wolves, Jozef Hambálek, got a huge fine, which he plans to pay in instalments, the aktuality.sk website reported on August 29.

The complex in the village of Dolná Krupá near Trnava where the branch of the controversial Russian biker gang resides has recently been under the scrutiny of the Economy Ministry. Head of Night Wolves in Slovakia, Jozef Hambálek – a crony of ex-interior-minister Robert Kaliňák, discarded heavy military equipment, including a tank, there. After a month’s audit, the ministry imposed a fine of €33,000 to be paid by Hambálek.

What is the fine for?

“He failed to fulfil his legal obligation to inform in writing the categories, types and numbers of decommissioned and disabled products of the defence industry that he owns, including their depositing site,” the Economy Ministry’s press department wrote, as cited by aktuality.sk. “He should have done so within 25 days since the quarter of a calendar year lapsed, in each case.” Hambálek agreed with the fine and asked for payment in instalments, the ministry informed. This should be approved for him, according to information available to aktuality sk.

video //www.youtube.com/embed/kx179M1C-KY

The checks and audits on Hambálek started this July after he collected several items of decommissioned heavy military equipment in the Dolná Krupá complex. Some pieces were achieved from the Military History Institute, which falls under the Defence Ministry. Minister Peter Gajdoš sacked the institute’s head, Miloslav Čaplovič, as a result. The ministry also asked for the tanks and armoured vehicle borrowed from the institute to be returned.

The Slovenskí Branci / Slovak levies paramilitary group trained on the equipment in Dolná Krupá, too.

Hambálek did nothing wrong

Police who checked on Hambálkek, too, found he did not commit anything wrong. The biker also has good ties to former long-time interior minister Robert Kaliňák, who he used to go on motorbike rides with.

The new Police President Milan Lučanský defended him too, arguing he re-makes decommissioned military vehicles into fire-fighting cars, and then offers them to rescuers, aktuality.sk wrote.